Orthopedic pillow



May 14, 1968 E. E. ROBINSON ORTHOPEDIC PILLOW 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1966 INVENTOR EFFIE E. ROBINSON BYM, M q M es ATTORNEYS y 1968 E. E. ROBINSON ORTHOPEDIC PILLOW 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 22, 1966 m/vmrofi EFFIE E. ROBINSON BYXE -CQ M ,g y ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,382,510 ORTHOPEDIC PILLOW Ellie E. Robinson, 3519 Portage Ave., Apt. 1, Wildwood Place, Fort Wayne, Ind. Filed July 22, 1966, Ser. No. 567,200 11 Claims. (Cl. -338) The present invention generally relates to an orthopedic pillow, and more particularly, relates to an orthopedic pillow for supporting the head and neck in a desirable manner independent of whether the patient is lying faceup or face-down. Further, the pillow is designed to support the body in a manner allowing the patient to lie on a sore body portion comfortably and without pain.

The approved medical treatment for most neck and back injuries generally includes the supporting of the head and neck in a proper position relative to the spine during a recovery period. When the patient is bed-ridden, this may be achieved by a specially designed pillow or mattress. Several such devices have been proposed. However, many of the prior proposed devices have been used only with a limited success. One of the major reasons for the limited success of prior devices is that many of them only support the patient properly when the patient is lying in a specific position, for example, on his back, on his stomach, or on his side. Thus, the patient cannot be rolled from one position to another while still keeping the head and neck properly supported when using these prior devices. For this reason, patient fatigue and/ or bed sores have been commonplace. Therefore, it is highly desirable to provide an orthopedic pillow which will hold the neck and hand of a patient in a proper position independently of whether the patient is lying on his back or stomach.

Additionally, patients with some neck and back injuries which necessitate keeping the head stationary relative to the body during the above-mentioned recovery period, have been unable to lie on their stomachs if this entails looking face downwards into bedding as breathing becomes difficult if the bedding is allowed to adapt itself to the contour of ones face. Thus, it is highly desirable to provide an orthopedic pillow which supports the head and neck in the above-mentioned desirable position and which allows the patient to lie in a face-down, prone position without-the necessity of having to turn the head in order to properly breathe.

Further, patients having a sore body portion, for example, subsequent to an operation, may desire to recline in a manner requiring them to lie on this sore body portion. With conventional pillows and bedding, the contact between the bedding and the sore body portion may make the patient very uncomfortable or cause pain to the patient sufiicient to force the patient to rest in another position. For this reason, it is highly desirable to provide an improved orthopedic pillow which will support the body in a comfortable position and will elevate the sore portion of the body out of contact with adjacent bedding and the like, whereby the patient can lie upon the same comfortably.

Still further, it may be desirable to apply heat to a body portion for treatment of an injury, such as those abovementioned, or to relieve pain. Therefore, it is highly desirable to provide an orthopedic pillow with which conventional heat applicators can be used to apply heat to a body portion while the body is being supported in an approved manner.

Therefore, it is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved orthopedic pillow for supporting the head, neck and body of a patient in an approved manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved orthopedic pillow which allows a patient to lie face downwardly in a prone position without necessitating the turning of the patients head with respect to the body in order to properly breathe.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved orthopedic pillow for supporting a patients body with a portion thereof elevated above adjacent bedding and the like whereby a patient can lie on a sore body portion comfortably.

Still further, another object of this invention is to pro vide an improved orthopedic pillow which can be used to support the head, neck and body of a patient in an approved manner, which can be used to allow a patient to lie face downwardly in a prone position or which can be used to lie upon a sore body portion comfortably, and which has an additional provision for accepting conventional heat applicators into the pillow whereby heat can be applied to that portion of the body supported by the pillow, if desired.

The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved orthopedic pillow of this invention in assembled form and illustrating, in dashed lines, the insertion of a conventional heat applicator or the body supporting pillow portion thereof within the pillow recess;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the head and neck supporting pillow portion of the improved orthopedic pillow of this invention;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the head and neck supporting pillow portion of this invention illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the head and neck supporting pillow portion of this invention illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, taken substantially along the section line 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the base pillow portion of the improved orthopedic pillow of this invention;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the base pillow portion illustrated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the supporting body pillow portion of the improved orthopedic pillow of this invention;

FIG. 8 is an end view of the body supporting pillow portion illustrated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the improved orthopedic pillow of this invention showing one use thereof;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 illustrating another use of the improved orthopedic pillow of this invention;

FIG. 10A is an end view, partially in cross-section, illustrating the pillow of this invention being used in the manner illustrated in FIG. 10, taken substantially along the section line 10A10A;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrating still another use of the improved orthopedic pillow of this invention; and

FIG. 11A is an end view, partially in cross-section illustrating the pillow of this invention used in the method illustrated in FIG. 11 taken substantially along the section line 11Al1A.

In the broader aspects of this invention, there is provided an improved orthopedic pillow comprising a base pillow portion having an aperture therein, a head and neck supporting pillow portion removably connected to said base pillow portion adjacent to a peripheral boundary portion of said aperture, and a body supporting pillow portion removably connected to said base pillow por tion adjacent to another peripheral boundary portion and neck supporting pillow portion 16, and a body, suppillow portion 12 adjacent to a peripheral boundary generallyof a rectangular parallelpiped. Thus, portion 18 has a parallel and substantially fiat bottom surface 70, and a flat top surface 72, parallel and substantially portion 20 of the aperture 14, and body supporting pillow 1 portion 18 is secured: to the base pillow portion 12 adjacent .to asecond peripheral boundary portion 22 of the aperture 14 which is opposite and facing the boundary portion 20. Thus, the pillow portions 16 and 18 are connected to the base pillow portion 12 on opposite sides of the aperture 14 in a manner allowing each of the pillow portions 16 and 18 to be removed from the pillow portion 12 i when desired.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 4, the head and, neck supporting pillow portion 16 will now be described.

Pillow portion 16 is elongated and has opposite. ends 24 and 2 6 and longitudinally extending sides28 and 30., Longitudinal side 30is deformed from a straight line to conform to the :boundary 20 of the aperture 14, and

a portion of the aperture ends 36, 38 which extend between the aperture boundaries 20 and 22, 'as will be mentioned more specifically hereinafter. Side 28 and opposite ends 24. and26 generally correspond to the size andshape' of the outer peripheral boundary of that part of the base pillow portion 12 to which the head andneck supporting pillow portion 16 is connected and overlays. Pillow portion 16" is further defined by a flat bottom 4t} and atop surface 42. Top surface 42 slopes upwardly from each periphery thereof. to an apical ridge 44 extending generally parallel to the side 28 along an portion of surface 52 slopes toward the surface 54 forming a wedge-shaped configuration; this configuration will be described in more detail hereinafter. Aperture 14is also generally rectangular in shape and is aligned generally longitudinally of the portion 12. Thus, longitudinal aperture boundaries 20 and 22 are generally parallelto longitudinal portion 12 boundaries 56 and 58.

Likewise, transverse aperture boundaries 36and 38 are generally parallel to transverseportion 12 boundaries? fiat end surfaces '74 and 76, and parallel and substantially fiat side surfaces 78 and 80. r

The improved orthopedic pillow is shown in assembledform in FIG. 1. Thus assembled, pillow portions 16and 1 8 are superimposed onto parts of the base pillow portion 12, and the portions 16 and 18 general-ly correspond to the shape of that part of the base pillow portion 12 directly beneath the respective pillow portions 16 and 18, as above-mentioned. For example, longitudinal side 28 and the opposite ends 24 and 26 of the portion 16, are generally perpendicular to each other and are joined at relatively large radiused curved corners 82 which correspond to the corners 66 of the pillow portion 12. Further, the length of the portion 16 is substantially identical to the length of the portion 12 such that the longitudinal side 28 and the opposite ends 24 and 26 generally define the same shape as the ortion 12 boundaries 56, 68 and 62. Similarly, the side 30 is shaped intermediate ends 24 and 26to correspond to the shape defined by the aperture boundary and thefopposite end corners 64 thereof. Thus, side has an intermediate straight portion 84' corresponding to the length of the boundary 20 and rounded corners 86 adtween the side portion 84 and side 28. is generally the same as the dimension of the portion 12 between the boundaries 20 and 56. Thus, generally, the entire part of the portion 12 between the aperture 14 and the peripheral boundary 56 is covered by the .portion16'.

Similarly, the body supporting pillow portion 18 has a width generally the same as the pillow portion 12 between the peripheral boundary 58 and the aperture boundary 52. Thus, that part of the portion 12 is completely covered by the pillow portion 18. However, the pillow portion 18 is shorter inlength than the aperture 14.

Thus, both. longitudinal boundaries 20 and 22 of the aperture 14 are longer than the portion 18. Further, the

top surface 52 of the portion 12 slopes from the boundary 22 downwardly toward the boundary 58 defining a slo ing 6t) and 62. Also aperture boundaries20 and 22 are perpendicular to transverse aperture boundaries 36 and 38; and I likewise pillow portion boundaries 56 and 58 are generallyperpendicular to transverse pillow boundaries 60, and62. However, aperture boundaries 20, 22,

36 and'38 are joined at relatively sharp, rounded corners 64; whereas pillow portion 12 boundary 56 is joined to boundaries 60 and 62 at relatively large radiused curved corners 66, and boundary 58 is joined to boundaries 60 r and 62 at tapered corners 68.

In the preferredembodiment illustrated, the aperture 14 is located in the'center of pillow portion 12. However, for particular usesit may be desired to have more support in a particular location and less support in Referring now to. FIGS. 7 and 8, the description of.

the body supporting pillow portion 18 will follow. Body supporting pillowportion 18 is shown to have the shape portion 88. Thus, the thickness of the pillow portion 12 adjacent the boundary S6 is larger than the thickness adjacent the boundary 58 and defines the wedge-shaped configuration above-mentioned. The thickness of the pillow portion "18 is substantially identical with the thickness of the portion 12 adjacent the boundary 58, and the thickness of the pillow portion 16, adjacent the sides 28,

30 and the ends 24, 26, is substantially the same as the thickness of the portion 12 adjacent the boundary 56. Thus, the pillow v10 as assembled, is thicker adjacent the portion 16 thanadjacent the portion 18. Further,-the

portion 18 isattached to the sloping portion 88 of the top surface 52 of the portion 12, and thus, the top surface 72 ofgthe portion 18, when assembled, also slopes accordingly. This slope of the surface 72 functions together In a preferred embodimentof this invention, each of the pillow portions 12, 16 and 18 are made of foamma- .terial which is resilient and easily formed in the shape above-described. For example, foam rubber or polyurethane foam material would both be satisfactory. Further, each of the pillow portions 12, 16 and 18 are desirably covered with a removable and washable cover or a cover which can be cleaned such that the pillow can meet the standards of cleanliness required by hospitals, doctors and the like. Preferably, attached to the cover of each of the portions 16, and 18 are two pair of flexible straps 90 for removably connecting the same to the portion 12 as above-described. However, within the scope of the invention herein described, other means for removably connecting the pillow portions 12, 16 and 18 can be used and can be equal satisfactory. Lastly, the preferred embodiment of this invention has the following dimensions:

In operation, the improved orthopedic pillow of this invention functions to support the head, neck and body of a person using the same in an approved manner. Referring to FIGS. 9, 10, 10A, 11 and 11A, several various uses of the pillow 10 of this invention are illustrated. Referring first to FIG. 9, there is shown a patient lying on the pillow 10 having the body, head and neck supported in an approved manner. Both the head and neck of the patient is supported by the pillow portion 16, and the body is supported by the pillow portion 18. In this man- L ner, the pillow 10 has been used in the treatment of patients suffering from whiplash injuries such as that commonly resulting from automobile accidents.

Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 10A, there is illustrated a patient lying face down in a prone position on the pillow 10 of this invention Without encountering any difiiculty in breathing. In the treatment of many back and neck injuries, the patient is instructed not to move the head relative to the body. This instruction, without the use of a pillow such as pillow 10 requires the patient to lie only on his back -or side. As a conventional pillow will conform to the face of the patient if he were to lie face down on the same, lying face down would result in breathing diificulties. Thus, the pillow of this invention allows the patient during the treatment of neck and back injuries to lie on his stomach, and thus, to assume a position not heretofore possible with conventional pillows. In this position, the head is supported by the pillow portion 16, and the shoulders and upper body is supported by the pillow portion 18. The nose, mouth and the neck are suspended between the portions 16 and 18 directly over the aperture 14. Thus, normal breathing can be accomplished without difliculty.

Referring now to FIGS. 11 and 11A, there is shown still another use for the pillow 10 of this invention. Generally, whenever a patient is operated upon or injured, sore body portions, upon which the patient can only lie if he subjects himself to great pain, exist during the recovery period. Thus, it is highly desirable to provide a pillow which can support the body in a manner such that the sore body portion can be elevated above the bedding or supporting surface upon which the patient is lying. For example, during the recovery period following a breast biopsy, it is commonly very painful for a woman to lie on her stomach. FIGS. 11 and 11A illustrate the manner by which the pillow of this invention can support a patient during this recovery period allowing the patient to lie on her stomach in a relatively comfortable position. In this illustrated use of the pillow 10, the pillow portion 16 supports the head and neck of the patient and the pillow portion 18 supports the body adjacent the waist of the patient, and the breasts are elevated abo.e the bedding or other supporting surface upon which the pa ient is lying.

Referring to FIG. 1 and the above description of the pillow portions 12 and 18, pillow portion 18 can when desired be placed within the aperture 14 as indicated by the dashed lines 92 and 94 of FIG. 1. This positioning of pillow portion 18 within the aperture 14 will provide additional support to the pillow 10 adjacent boundaries 22 and 58 of the pillow portion 12 and will at least partially fill the aperture 14 whenever desired.

Whenever heat is desirably applied to the body of the patient using the pillow 10 of this invention, heat applicators can be positioned within the aperture 14. Thus, conventional hot water bottles, moist heat packs, hot towels, or the like can be used in conjunction with the pillow of this invention to administer prescribed heat to an injured area and at the same time support the patient in a proper manner.

The above-mentioned uses of the pillow 10 are exemplary only and many uses of the pillow 10 outside the treatment of patients suffering from neck and back injuries or post-operative discomfort will become obvious upon a further understanding of this invention. One such use of the pillow 10 is by sunbathers who also desire, at times, to lie in a prone, face-down position. The pillow 10 of this invention, as above-mentioned, allows a person to lie in this manner without encountering difficulties of breathing; and thus, sunbathers can tan themselves more evenly since they can assume both the positions illustrated in FIG. 9 and FIGS. 10 and 10A, respectively.

While there have been described above the principles of this invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An orthopedic pillow comprising a base pillow portion having an aperture therein, a head and neck supporting pillow portion removably connected to said base pillow portion adjacent to a peripheral boundary portion of said aperture, and a body supporting pillow portion removably connected to said base pillow portion adjacent to a second peripheral boundary portion of said aperture, said head and neck and said body supporting pillow portions being on opposite sides of said aperture.

2. The orthopedic pillow of claim 1 wherein said head and neck and said body supporting pillow portions are both elongated, said head and neck supporting pillow portion having a thickness greater than said body supporting pillow portion, and said head and neck and body supporting pillow portions overlaying parts of said base pillow portion between said aperture and the peripheral boundary of said base pillow portion.

3. The orthopedic pillow of claim 1 wherein said head and neck and body supporting pillow portions overlay parts of said base pillow portion between said aperture and the peripheral boundary of said base pillow portion, said parts of said base pillow portion overlaid by said head and neck and said body supporting pillow portions having dimensions between said aperture and the periphery thereof generally equal to the width of the respective pillow portions overlaying the same, said head and neck supporting pillow portion extending beyond opposite sides of the peripheralboundary of said aperture, said base pillow portion having a substantially fiat bottom surface.

4. The orthopedic pillow of claim 2 wherein said base pillow portion and said aperture therein are both generally rectangular in shape,and said head and neck and body supporting pillow portions extend longitudinally of said base pillow portion and aperture.

5. The orthopedic pillow of claim 2 wherein said head i and neck supportingpillow portion has a length at least as long as the longitudinal dimension of said aperture,

.said body supporting pillow portion having a length shorter than said longitudinal aperture dimension, said parts of said base pillow portion overlaid by said head and neckand said, body supporting pillow portions having dimensionsbetween said aperture and the periphery thereof generally equal to the width of the respective pillow portions overlaying the same, and said aperture having a size adapting said pillow to receive said body supporting pillow, portion therein.

, 6. A11 orthopedic pillow comprising a base pillow portion having an aperture therein, a head and neck supporting pillow portion removably connected to said base pillow portion adjacent to a peripheral boundary portion of said aperture, and a body supporting pillow portion removably connected to said base pillow portion adjacent to a second peripheral boundary portion of said aperture,

said head and neck and said body supporting pillow por tions being on opposite sides of said aperture, said head andneck andsaidbody supporting pillow portions being both elongated, said head and neck supporting pillow portion having a thickness greater than said body supporting pillow portion, said head and neck and body supporting pillow portions overlaying partsof said base pillow portion between said aperture and theperipheral boundary of said base pillow portion, said base pillow portion and 1 said aperture therein being both generally rectangular in shape, said headand neck and body supporting pillow portions extendinglongitudinally of saidbase pillow portion and aperture, said head and neck supporting pillow portion having a length at least as long as the longitudinal dimension of said aperture, said'body supporting pillow portion having a length shorter than said longitudinal aperture dimension, said parts of said base pillow portion overlaid by said head and neck and said 'body supporting pillow portions having dimensions between said aperture and the peripherythereof generally equal to the width of the respective pillow portions overlaying the to receive said body supporting pillow portion therein.

7. The orthopedic pillow of claim 6 wherein said body supporting pillow portion has a generally rectangular cross-section, said basepillow portion being thicker adf jacent to said head and neck supporting pillow portion than adjacentto said "body supporting pillow portion, and said base pillowportion has a substantially fiat'bottom surface. 1 j r i 8. The orthopedic pillow of claim 7 wherein said head and neck supporting pillow portion has a flat bottom and a top surface, said, top surface sloping upwardly from each of the peripheral boundaries thereof thereby forming an apical ridge intermediate said boundaries.

same, and said aperture having a size adapting said pillow 9. An orthopedic pillow comprising a base pillow portion having an aperture therein, a head and neck supporting pillow portion removably connected to said base pillow portion adjacent to a peripheral boundary portion of said aperture, and a body supporting pillow portion removably connected to said base pillow portion adjacent to a second peripheral boundary portion of said aperture,

said head and neck and said body supporting pillow portions being on opposite sides of said aperture, said base pillow portion and said aperture therein both being generally rectangular in shape, said head and neck and said body supporting pillow portions being both elongated, said head and neck and body supporting pillow portions extending longitudinally of said base pillow portion and aperture, said head and neck supporting pillow portion having a thickness greater than said body supporting pillow portion, said head and neck and body supporting pillow portions overlaying parts of said base pillow portion between said aperture and the peripheral boundary of said base pillow portion, said head and neck supporting pillow portions having a length at least as long as the longitudinal dimension of said aperture, said body supporting pillow portionrhaving a length shorterthan said longitudinal aperture dimension, said parts of said base. pillow portion overlaid by said head and neck and said body supporting pillow portions having dimensions between said aperture and the periphery thereof generally equal to the 1 width of the respective pillow portions overlaying the same, said body supporting pillow portion having a rectangular cross-section, said base pillow portion being thicker adjacent to said head and neck supporting pillow portion than adjacent to said body supporting pillow portion, and said base pillow portion having a substantially 1 head and neck and body supporting pillow portions are each enclosed by a cover, and said covers respectively have straps secured thereto for tying said last mentioned pillow portions to said base pillow portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 319,537 6/1885 Winter 5-337XR 1,045,228 11/1912 Weltmer 5-437 XR 1,537,414 5/1925 Darling 5-338XR 2,182,861 12/1939 Albert 5-91 2,556,629 OBrien 5-337 BOBBY R. GAY, Primaiy Examiner.

A. M. CALVERT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ORTHOPEDIC PILLOW COMPRISING A BASE PILLOW PORTION HAVING AN APERTURE THEREIN, A HEAD AND NECK SUPPORTING PILLOW PORTION REMOVABLY CONNECTED TO SAID BASE PILLOW PORTION ADJACENT TO A PERIPHERAL BOUNDARY PORTION OF SAID APERTURE, AND A BODY SUPPORTING PILLOW PORTION REMOVABLY CONNECTED TO SAID BASE PILLOW PORTION ADJACENT TO A SECOND PERIPHERAL BOUNDARY PORTION OF SAID APERTURE, SAID HEAD AND NECK AND SAID BODY SUPPORTING PILLOW PORTIONS BEING ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID APERTURE. 